Fwd: Re: [pct-l] Ultralight, a matter of technique?

[Ben Schifrin <benschif@sonnet.com>]

I generally agree with your comments. I, too, am a gear-aholic who 
loves his lightweight toys, and would rather carry a light pack than 
a heavy one. I think, however, that many people who have learned the 
lightweight religion may fail to remember (or simply weren't alive 
when) ALL of us ALWAYS carried heavy packs. ALL of the hikers who 
successfully completed the PCT before 1980 had external frame packs, 
and packs that were RIDICULOUSLY heavy by today's standards-- but the 
percentile success rate for completion was HIGHER than it is today. 
The difference was, that hikers started the trip with more 
experience, and more experience using the equipment they carried. We 
weren't interested in experiments -- we were headed to Manning Park.

Do what you know; take what you know; eat what you like. Don't do 
something just because it worked for someone else. If the combination 
of your brain, your resolve and your gear can take up to 5 months on 
the trail, you're not going to be miserable or late-finishing, you're 
simply going to plow on through to the end and then wish you never 
had to go home.

>I think if I were walking the PCT this year with a external frame 
>pack and all of the traditional >equipment along with the photo, I 
>would seriously doubt my success. It would be miserable at best >and 
>late finishing.
>  Loony Lee
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